London Mayor election: Sadiq Khan wins historic third term
Adarshabarta desk:
Sadiq Khan has been elected Mayor of London for a historic third term for the next four years. The election held on Thursday, 2 May 2024 and the result was announced on Saturday, 4 May at City Hall.
This year’s election used the first-past-the-post system to elect the new Mayor of London. Labour Party’s candidate Sadiq Khan wins a decisive victory with 43.8% of the popular vote. He secured 1,088,225 votes and his Conservative Party challenger Susan Hall received 812,397 (33.7%) votes. Mr Khan won with a majority of 275,828 votes, which is one of the biggest majorities in the history of the London mayoralty. Voter turnout in this election was 40.50%.
Speaking after his victory was declared, Mr Khan said in his speech:
“Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you London.
“It is the honour of my life to serve the city that I love and I am beyond humbled right now.
“I want to express my deep gratitude to my fellow Londoners and make this pledge to you.
“I promise to repay the trust you’ve placed in me by working tirelessly to deliver the fairer, safer and greener London you deserve.
“It has been a difficult few months. We faced a campaign of non-stop negativity.
“But I could not be more proud that we answered fear-mongering with facts. Hate with hope and attempts to divide with efforts to unite.
“We ran a campaign that was in keeping with the spirit and the values of this great city.
“A city that regards our diversity not as a weakness but an almighty strength and one that rejects right hard-wing populism and looks forward not back.
“It’s truly an honour to be re-elected for a third term and to do so with record levels of support from Londoners, with an increased margin of victory.
“But today’s not about making history it is about shaping our future.
“A future where our children can be nourished with free school meals and breathe cleaner air.
“Where all Londoners are given the support and helping hand they need to fulfil their potential and where our social fabric is strengthened and our diverse communities cherished and celebrated.
“My determination to ensure London leads from the front with world-leading green action remains as strong as ever.
“We have already made great strides cleaning up our air and will continue to tackle pollution whether it is found on our streets or in our rivers.
“At the same time I pledge to have a constant focus on all the other issues that Londoners also care about: the rising cost of living, crime on our streets, homelessness, affordable housing.
“For the last eight years London has been swimming against the tide of a Tory government and now, with a Labour party that is ready to govern again under Keir Starmer, it is time for Rishi Sunak to give the public a choice.
“A general election wouldn’t just pave the path to a new direction for our country, it will make bold action Londoners want to see a reality.
“I also have a message to those Londoners who didn’t vote for me this week.
“I promise I will always be a mayor for all Londoners and one who takes very seriously the duty I have to represent the interests of every community.
“I must not forget to say a massive thank you to my campaign team for their hard work and dedication. You have all been brilliant.
“I also want to thank Keir and the shadow cabinet for all their support, our assembly members and candidates.
“Our council leaders and councillors across this great city. Our volunteers, our trade unionists and Labour party members.
“And the returning officer and everyone here at City Hall for ensuring Londoners could make their voices heard.
“A special thank you goes to my mum, everything she’s done for me. I love you. And to my amazing wife, Saadiya, and our daughters Anisah and Ammarah, for their strength and support throughout all these years.
“I know there have been times when this job has taken a toll on you. But that’s not right, or fair.
“Some of the stuff on social media, the protests by our home, the threats. It’s upsetting, it’s frightening and it’s wrong. I’m truly sorry for putting you through this.
“But I also know, you share my belief as hard as it can be sometimes, this work is worth doing because it means being able to give to other families the same life-changing opportunities that this wonderful city has extended to ours. I love you all so much.
“My final thank you must go to my fellow Londoners, the people who make this city, not only special but the greatest city in the world.
“Once again you’ve proved that London is a city of progress, a city of pluralism and above all a city of possibility, a beacon of openness, inclusion and equality across the world.
“It’s Londoners who inspire me every day to continue our mission of building a fairer, safer and greener Londoner, and in what I hope will be a year of great change.
“A future Labour government led by Keir Starmer working with us in City Hall will mean we can go much further and accomplish so much more.
“Ensuring both for our capital and our country our brightest days are still ahead of us. Thank you.”
